... That's not the same map at a variety of scales - you can't deduce anything from one regarding the other.

Phil: You are the map expert here and I don't want to argue with you about maps (because I'll probably lose that argument). I will admit that I had assumed the various published maps were all based on the same map, because the colors used for the various units are identical. I don't *know* that they are the same map at various scales, but it certainly seemed like a reasonable assumption to me. You state, "That's not the same map at a variety of scales." Do you *know* that to be true?

... you'll know what I mean when I say that CT on many geologic maps of Mars is sort of equivalent to Qf on Earth geologic maps. It's the crap that gets in the way of us seeing what's going on with the bedrock. Anything exposed in crater walls is usually too small in spatial extent to be mapped intelligently; CT covers the crater and its ejecta that obscure what was going on underneath, just like Quaternary fill obscures geology in Earth's valley floors.

That's really a pretty good way to describe it, Emily. As an avid reader of your blog, I can say that you have quite a talent for describing obscure things in ways that are very assimilable.

The use of similar color schemes makes it look like they are the same map, but this is misleading. Obviously there is something in common between them as well, but they are not the same.

First, they are very different scales, so it's not just a case of the same digital image being shown in full and in an enlarged detail, which was really what I meant at first. As different map images, the color schemes don't have to mean exactly the same thing. More importantly, though, different scales mean (in this case) different levels of generalization. The regional view (Miyamoto map) aggregates all the Meridiani plains material into one unit. The detailed map of Cape York splits that into multiple units - including the hydratyed material and terraces. The green things are confused by the cartographer - in the regional map they use green for two different things, Bololu materials (mostly ejecta, a specific geologic unit) and a morphological class of feature, the post-Noachian craters. Note how the green is in the crater depressions, not the ejecta deposits of those craters. In the detailed map green is used again for morphology - crater depressions, some extremely subdued and, frankly, geologically indistinguishable from the material they formed in. And if you look at Endeavour in the regional map, the blue Noachian material is not just shown on the hills of the rim but as a complete ring around the crater, looking like the inner slope of Endeavour. The detailed map correctly maps the inner slope below Cape York as the red plains material and related units.

Long ago the MER team realized they needed to alternate forward and reverse driving to keep lubricants better distributed in the wheels, but when they they decide that the healthiest thing for Oppy was to do 95% backwards driving?

Call me crazy, but this is what I think should happen assuming Oppy never dies.<<a map with "wild dream" how Oppy would drive to Endeavor>>

You're crazy.(well, you did ask)Seriously - you're talking 6+ x the current traverse distance. Even with a grad-student-controlled 3 wheel drive rover in 5 years time - that's just not going to happen.

I was absolutely sure there was no frakking way in a dozen different hells that Oppy could possibly make it to Endeavour, too. Not a lack of faith in the rover, or her team, just a stronger faith in eeeevil Mars to do its damndest to kill Oppy before she even got half way.

Question for the very talented and skilled folks stitching together these wonderful images: is it easier to work with thumbnails or lower res images than the larger images? Can you substitute the high res images onto your work on the thumbs?

I'm guessing YES and YES.

Edit: definitely easier on the clock due to smaller file sizes, but how 'bout on a superfast computer?

IMAGE COPYRIGHT
Images posted on UnmannedSpaceflight.com may be copyrighted.
Do not reproduce without permission. Read
here for further information on space images and copyright.

OPINIONS AND MODERATION
Opinions expressed on UnmannedSpaceflight.com are those of the
individual posters and do not necessarily reflect the opinions
of UnmannedSpaceflight.com or The Planetary Society. The all-volunteer
UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderation team is wholly independent
of The Planetary Society. The Planetary Society has no influence
over decisions made by the UnmannedSpaceflight.com moderators.

SUPPORT THE FORUM
Unmannedspaceflight.com is a project of the Planetary Society
and is funded by donations from visitors and members. Help keep
this forum up and running by contributing
here.